The genus Cinnamomum

174 Nguyen Kim Dao
Table 6.7 Composition of cassia bark oil
% Compound
92.5 (E)-cinnamic aldehyde
0.8 3-Phenylpropanal
0.6 (Z)-cinnamic aldehyde
0.6 Coumarin
0.3 Benzaldehyde
0.1 Eugenol
0.1 -Caryophyllene
0.1 Benzyl benzoate
0.1 Camphor
0.1 1,8-Cineole
0.1 Linalool
0.1 -Phellandrene
0.1 Salicylaldehyde
0.1 -Terpineole
96.6 Total
Source: Vernin et al., 1994.
Table 6.8 Chemical constituents of cassia bark recorded in the head space analysis using
GC/MS
-Pinene (0.10%) Borneol -terpineol (3.80%)
Limonene (0.28%) Hydrocinnamaldehyde (0.69%)
p-Cymene (0.82%) 2-Phenethyl acetate (0.96%)
-Copaene (0.67%) (Z)-cinnamaldehyde (0.21%)
Benzaldehyde (23.80%) 2-Phenethyl alcohol (0.24%)
Linalool (0.05%) 2-Methoxybenzaldehyde (0.82%)
Bornyl acetate (0.62%) (E)-cinnamaldehyde (39.50%)
Linalyl acetate (0.44%) (E)-cinnamyl acetate (0.24%)
Salicylaldehyde (1.27%)
Source: Vernin et al., 1994.
Properties and Biological Effects of Cassia Bark (Cortex cinnamomi – Rou gui)
C. cassia bark, is often referred to as Cortex cinnamomi and known as Rou gui in Chinese
traditional medicine. The dried twig of C. cassia, known as Ramulus cinnamomi (Guo zhi
in Chinese), is another drug used in Chinese traditional medicine. These two drugs are
used differently and for different purposes.
Rou gui mixed with Fuzi (Radix aconiti lateralis preparata) produced a significant
hypotensive effect in rats with adrenocortical hypertension due to the burning of one of
the adrenal glands. However, the mixture had no effect on renal hypertensive rats. In
rats with adrenocortical hypertension, the mixture affected the adrenal cholesterol
metabolism, thereby intensifying the activity of the cauterised adrenal gland but not
the intact one. It appears that the hypotensive action is due to the promotion and normalisation
of the activity of the depressed adrenal gland (Wang, 1983). The decoction
of the stem bark significantly increased coronary flow in the isolated heart of guinea
pigs. A daily oral dose of 1.2 g/kg of decoction for six days improved the acute myocardial
ischemia in rabbits due to putuitrin. Intravenous administration of 2 mg/kg of the